Determination of early vascular disease indicators using computer-assisted intravital microscopy

Computer-assisted intravital microscopy is an innovative hardware and software solution developed to provide a unique approach to early screening of disease and provide new tools in clinical research. This platform uses a state-of-the-art image acquisition process that captures high-resolution video sequences of the microcirculation of the bulbar conjunctiva for analysis. Visual detection of real-time, active adjustments in blood vessel morphometry and subsequent changes in flow dynamics can yield a plethora of information and insight into the state of health for an individual.

The use of the microvasculature of the bulbar conjunctiva as a key biomarker for early detection and longitudinal tracking of pathogenesis has shown promise in clinical medicine and medical research. A number of studies published by To et al. have investigated microcirculatory properties of various diseases (e.g. diabetes mellitus, sickle cell disease, hypertension, etc.) and have concluded that indications of microvascular change may occur in the conjunctival microcirculation prior to its development in other vascular beds, suggesting that conjunctival vessels are more sensitive to hemorheologic changes from these diseases. The potential implications of early detection provide grounds for early intervention and better health outcomes.

By providing robust mobile platforms to view, analyze and detect vasculopathy on devices that span across various socioeconomic boundaries, there is a potential to provide healthcare to low-resource environments in order to improve the overall welfare of the community. Similarly, this system may also pioneer a new area of research that may provide important new insights into the pathogenesis of different vascular diseases.